District Councils Network responds to Local Government Finance Settlement

Commenting on the publication of the Local Government Finance Settlement, Cllr Sharon Taylor, DCN Spokesperson for Finance & Investment said:

“Post-pandemic a stable financial foundation is critical for DCN councils to continue delivering the excellent frontline services our communities rightly expect. We’re still facing significant financial pressures and have been striving to balance higher costs with shrinking income streams.

“This funding settlement is a step forward. We welcome the one-off services grant and the preservation of current New Homes Bonus funding and the Lower Tier Services Grant. However, we would like to have secured more funding and greater council tax flexibilities. There’s still a significant gap between the funding made available and the inflationary pressures our councils face. All DCN councils will face difficult choices but will continue to focus on delivering the best possible services for our residents and businesses.

“We will now focus on the future funding reforms and engage closely with the Government about ways to diversify our funding base to secure the best possible result for districts.”